Sony a7II Vs a7RII – Which Should You Go For And Why?

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Our review today will be putting two fantastic cameras side by side for a detailed comparison of both cameras. Trust us when we say that there’s a whole lot to learn from the Sony a7II vs a7RII debate.

Belonging to the same series,
these two pro, mirrorless cameras have a lot of strong features they bring to
the table. So, we can understand how making a decision can be somewhat
difficult.

Thankfully, you’re here at this time. You’re going to learn everything about these cameras including strengths and weaknesses that they share. Our hope is that, at the end of the Sony a7II vs a7RII review, you’re able to make a more informed choice of a camera rather than just picking one randomly.

The best way to enjoy value for your money, after all, isn’t to simply pick the most popular or the most expensive camera. It is by getting something that meets your own needs. Come on, let’s see the bigger picture in the contest of the Sony a7II vs a7RII.

Sony A7II Vs A7RII – Comparison Overview

Alright, here’s where we give you a quick tour around the various sections we will be getting into today’s review of the Sony a7II vs a7RII.

So, first things first, we will
give our general opinion of the cameras in this review. We feel they are quite
impressive and if we are giving a general assessment, these are good pro
cameras.

Now, let’s get a little more
specific

Both cameras are relatively
compact but somewhat heavy. The lighter is 599 grams which is the a7II, and
everyone knows that a 599g camera is not light by a long shot.

Furthermore, the battery lives of
these cameras too aren’t so impressive. The higher of the too can only give 350
shots for one charge which is somewhat limiting especially if you need this for
sport or wildlife photography.

And then the ISO could be better.
A couple of users had their issues especially when it came to low light
situations.

Now, it seems like it’s just bad
reviews for these cameras, but hey, there are good parts too! One of these
cameras – the a7RII actually gives you 4k video resolution. And even their
sensor resolution is pretty high too at 24MP (a7II) and 42MP (a7RII).

Time lapse recording, face
detection focus, and RAW support were other things we also loved about both
cameras. Not to forget the wireless connection and tilting screens as well.

A pretty solid body too also does
it for us with these two cameras.

For the money, we would say both
are worth the money. However, the a7RII does begin to feel slightly overpriced
at some point especially relative to the a7II. The upgrades after all, are few
and subtle.

Anyway, if we’re talking
generally, and remembering that these are pro cameras, then we can see how we
can see how we can part with the price tag to have these guys.

Sony A7II Vs A7RII – What Situation Is Each
Camera Best For?

Sony a7II

Sony a7RII

The Sony a7II has many areas where it does excellently. For instance, it’s a good candidate if you need a daily camera. With its weather-sealed body, this is something you carry about wherever you want. Plus, it’s relatively compact even though it is somewhat heavy at 599 grams.

Furthermore, having a large sensor, the camera ensures that your image quality is still nice even in low light conditions. Plus, it also gives a shallow depth of field as well as adds a nice touch of blur when needed. This is not just great for daily photography, but also wonderful for portrait and landscape photography as well.

Its image stabilization feature and electronic viewfinder are also features that make this camera great for portrait and sport photography too. Although we must add that though the camera is great for sports, its 5.0 fps is a bit of a drawback. We know that when it comes to action sceneries like sports and wildlife, faster is always better.

However, besides that, this camera works great for nearly all kinds of photography. Its greatest strengths though are in portrait photography, street photography, daily photography, and sports photography. As for landscape photography, it’s just okay. It could work for you if that’s what you can afford but if you can afford to go for something better, you should.

The aR7II and the a7II are both identical when it comes to areas where they excel. It’s beautiful for portrait photography and even has an advantage over the a7II in that it has a higher resolution sensor at 42.0 MP. So, there’s more room to crop. Plus, you get to print your portraits in a larger size while still maintaining the fine details.

It’s also great for street photography with its face-detection focusing, tilting screen, live view and image stabilization. Its full frame also ensures that you get a decent image quality even in low light.

Now, for sports photography, the aR7II seems to have everything going for it. The max shutter speed is super fast at 1/8000s, 399 focus points, good enough low light ISO, and image stabilization. It only fails in the area of the batteries. 290 shots per charge isn’t quite ideal for sporting activities where it is important that you capture every moment.

Furthermore, the aR7II is better for landscape photography because its full frame is larger and its resolution is also sharper. So, in all, there’s more you can do with the aR7II than the a7II. It’s got better features, of course, and let’s not forget its 4k video resolution that beats the a7II. It’s a lot pricier though at nearly $2000. However, if you can afford to make the upgrade, you’d find it to be worth the money.

Sony A7II Vs A7RII – Which Features Do They Have
In Common?

In this section of the Sony A7II
vs A7RII debate, we find out features these two cameras share. Let’s get into
it.

Camera Image Sensor

The size of your sensor is
important to your camera as it determines the amount of light your camera would
use in creating your image. So, in the simplest terms, image sensors contain
millions of photosites. These photosites are light-sensitive dots that capture
what’s going on through the lens. They are kinda like the modern version of the
films older generation cameras used to use in those days.

So, naturally, from our
explanation, you could conclude that the higher the image sensor, the more they
would be able to capture and the better their images would be.

Well, that’s right. Naturally,
the photosites on a small image sensor would be dwarfed by those on a bigger
sensor. So, the images from the bigger sensor would produce better images, less
noise, and a better performance in low light. Of course, this makes for happier
photographers.

Besides that, a larger sensor
also means increased resolution which translates to images with sharper
details. And you don’t have to sacrifice too much on other fronts as well.

Full Frame Sized Sensor

Typically, a sensor could come in
any of two sizes – crop sensor or full frame. Usually, full frame sensors
measure 35 millimeters. But just how did it come to be known as the standard
for full frame?

Well, since 1909, film gauge has
been measured at 35 millimeters and it was settled on because it brought that
balance in quality of image and cost.

So, here’s why a full frame
sensor rocks.

In the first place, you get a
wider dynamic range as well as better performance in low light situations.
Plus, full frame cameras are better for architectural photography since they
have a much wider angle which is more important when using tilt/shift lenses.

Also, the shallower depth of a
full frame compared to the crop sensor makes for a more beautiful aesthetic. So
in practice, even when shooting at the same angle, focal length, and using the
same settings of the aperture, a full frame will still give a shallower depth
(aka more bokeh) then a crop sensor.

The reason for this is that a
larger sensor would naturally require a longer focal length to capture the same
field of view.

Now, for the crop sensor, on the
other hand. It only has the advantage in that it is more affordable and is also
much more portable and compact.

Megapixels

Now to the question of
megapixels, many feel that larger megapixels are not so important. For some, 16
megapixels are okay. However, there are others who think that for the added
detail you’ll be getting, the extra large files which require high computer
processing power to handle are not such a big deal.

In our opinion, you should
probably go for a higher megapixel if you intend to print extra large pictures
or heavily crop them later. If, on the other hand, you’re just printing
normally or sharing them online, then you probably do not need more than 16
megapixels, in which case you’ll be better off with the a7II

Sony a7II

Sony a7RII

Alright, first off, the Sony A7II comes with a 24MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9) sized CMOS sensor. It also features a Bionz X processor. Now, let’s see how this plays out in the performance of the camera.

A 24MP camera is not bad at all. And in some spheres, in fact, some people might even consider it overkill. In comparison with the 42MP, the 24Mp will typically give smaller files which makes it easier and faster to process post-shoot. Of course, smaller files also require less storage space too which is another advantage of lower res cameras.

If you’re going to printing in 16×20, a 24MP camera is great. You’d hardly ever need anything beyond a 24MP.

In fact, generally, 24MP cameras are okay if you’re not so big on the tiniest details.

The Sony A7RII comes with a resolution that’s 18MP higher than the resolution of that of the A7II. At 42MP, you can call the A7RII a high res camera. Let’s see how it affects your performance.

With a 42MP camera, it’s easier to print larger sized pictures. Plus, cropping will also be much easier with a higher MP. Just keep in mind though that you’d require higher computer power and storage space to process and store the images respectively.

Anyway, with the absence of the anti-alias filter, the camera sharpens and gives your pictures even more detail. Nonetheless, do keep in mind that it also increases the chances of moire occurring in some of your scenes.

ISO 100-25600

Typically, ISO in your camera is
a setting that brightens or darkens your photo as the number increases or
decreases. So, as the ISO number increases, your photo gets brighter and as the
number decreases, your photos get darker.

ISO helps you take good images in
low light situations simply by increasing the value. However, it does have its
consequences which is mainly noise (grain) which could render the image
unusable.

This is the reason most expert say
to brighten your pictures by adjusting the aperture or shitter speed instead.

With an ISO range of 100 to
25600, you have a pretty wide range of choices when using the ISO of either of
these cameras. Only remember that the higher the ISO goes, the more you’ll
suffer noise and reduce the quality of your image.

By the way, vs the Sony a7II, the
a7RII has the added advantage of being expandable to 50 to 102400. Of course,
with this improvement, your options practically explode. There’s a lot you can
achieve and play with all that ISO available to you.

Sensor-Image Stabilization

Now, a brief explanation first
for those who don’t know. Normally, when you press the shutter release button
on your camera to take a picture, you involuntarily move slightly. Now, when
this happens, a lens element or your camera’s image sensor also shifts to
compensate for your involuntary movement. This helps to reduce or eliminate the
blurring of the image.

There are two kinds: the optical
image stabilization, and the sensor image stabilization.

These cameras use a sensor-image
stabilization technology. In this case, the shift occurs in the sensor. So,
what are the advantages of sensor-image stabilization over the optical image
stabilization?

The most important benefit of
this is that the image stabilization is in the camera itself. So, any lens you
attach to the camera automatically works. You don’t have to spend extra getting
the I.S (image stabilization) version of the lens to be able to use it.

However, the small con is that
you won’t be able to stabilize the image projected on the image sensor by the
lens. In practice, it means that the stabilization takes effect only after the
shutter release button is pressed.

In other words, while looking
through your lens, you might find it a little difficult to frame and compose
your screen correctly. So, especially if you’re using the long telephoto lens,
when you move only just a bit, your movement becomes greatly magnified. So,
when you look through your lenses, your subject actually moves quite
erratically.

That said, even though I.S is
important, there are times when it matters not. Times like when you use a
tripod stand. Also, if you’re working in bright conditions or using flash, the
shutter speed is usually fast so the camera shake won’t be too much of a factor.

3 Inch Tilting Screen

Of course a tilting screen is always
a plus. A tilting screen means that the screen isn’t fixed. So, it comes with a
hinge with which you can tilt and adjust the screen as you want depending on
the angle you’re shooting from.

Tilting angles are amazing as
they make your photographing much easier. You wouldn’t have to kneel to take a
picture at certain angles. By simply squatting and tilting the screen a little,
you can get pictures of awesome quality.

And it’s not just about handheld
cameras, a tilting screen is also useful for when you’re using the camera on a
tripod. It’s easier to read your menu for one. Plus, since videographers have
to compose their scenes using the rear screen, it would be a lot easier for
them if the screen is the tilting kind.

5.0 Frames Per Second (FPS) Continuous Shooting

We’re still on the Sony a7II vs a7RII review and this time, we’re looking at another feature they both share: 5.0 fps continuous shooting.

Alright, let’s explain the terms
here. First, we begin with continuous shooting. Continuous shooting means that
as long as you press down the shutter release button, the camera will keep
taking photos non-stop.

The frames per second thing on
the other hand, explains how many pictures per second your camera will be taking
while you the continuous shooting goes on. Usually, it ranges from between 1
FPS to 10 FPS. There are some cameras that even come with 14 fps continuous
shooting.

In this case, both cameras are
rated 5 FPS which means that they will take 5 pictures per second. Alright, so,
let’s see how this feature plays out in real life.

In sport or wildlife photography,
for instance, the 5 FPS continuous shoot isn’t the best. Ideally, you want to
have something much higher than that as it helps you get many pictures in one
take. This also applies to any action shot at all. The advantage of having so
many pictures is that you’re sure of getting at least one picture that captures
a perfect (or nearly perfect) moment.

It’s also great if you’re taking
continuous shots of a person or group of people. You’ll be sure to get, at
least one picture where everyone’s eyes are open (winks).

Now that was theory. In practice,
5 FPS continuous shooting is pretty low as there are cameras that come with as
high as 10 to 14 FPS. Examples of such cameras include Canon’s highest end
cameras. These cameras will take 14 pictures in one second!

Weather-Sealed Bodies

You’re going to constantly be up
and about with your camera in all kinds of weather conditions. Understandably,
with constant exposure to the weather, your camera is bound to come under at
some point. This is why there is a weather-sealed body.

A camera with a weather-sealed
body typically comes sealed and covered with rubber at the button areas and the
joints. This move helps to reduce the camera’s body’s interaction with dust and
moisture.

So, generally, cameras with
weather-sealed bodies are more rugged and durable than non-weather-sealed
cameras.

Dynamic Range

Still on the Sony a7II vs a7RII battle, the dynamic range of your camera is responsible for ensuring that your pictures remain alright whatever the level of light.

For instance, you might notice
that on a bright, sunny day, you tend to lose some detail in the highlights,
the shadows or even in both. This is most likely due to a problem with the
limitation of your camera’s dynamic range and not your fault. Almost every
camera would have to experience this problem at some point or another.

Nonetheless, besides the dynamic
range of your camera, there’s also the dynamic range of the object you’re
shooting. In brighter conditions, that range is usually pretty high and might
even exceed the range of your camera. However, in low light conditions, the
range is much smaller.

So, as a rule of thumb, as long
as the dynamic range of your object doesn’t exceed that of your camera, your
image should come out perfectly exposed.

And telling whether the subject’s
dynamic range exceeds your camera’s is pretty easy. There’s a histogram on your
rear screen that gives that information. If the brightness of the subject falls
within the width of the histogram, then you’re in the clear.

In this department, it’s hardly a competition between the Sony a7II vs aR7II as both cameras come with pretty good dynamic ranges. Pretty close to 14, these cameras (13.9 for the A7II and 13.6 for the AR7II) make great camera choices in that respect.

RAW Support

The never-ending battle between
shooting RAW and shooting in JPEG is quite an interesting one. The truth is
that both formats have their advantages.

JPEG for one is easier to share,
and also saves more easily than RAW files.
But then why exactly do people still swear by RAW photos? Well, here are
some reasons.

For one, a RAW file is
uncompressed data (unlike JPEG that comes compressed). The reason it is called
“RAW,” as is easy to deduce, is that no processing has been done on the image
at all. You could think of it as a digital negative.

RAW support is common to many
cameras these days so much so that even smartphones come with RAW support.
However, because they are not processed at all, RAW files usually come out
muted and flatish. So, you’re going to need special software to view files and
edit them like Lightroom or Photoshop.

The best thing about shooting RAW
is the benefit of non-destructive editing. That is, the original image is
always preserved whatever the number of edits you make to the image. You can
also undo any edit at any point and take the image back to the initial captured
version.

Also, when there are mistakes and
you need to salvage your shot, it’s much easier to do with a RAW file. For
instance, say your image comes out underexposed by say 4 stops or the White
Balance isn’t accurate, it’s easier and quicker to fix those with a RAW file
than with JPEG.

Furthermore, another important
benefit of the RAW file is its high quality images which will definitely appeal
to all kinds of photographers. In all, you get absolutely more control over the
amount of detail you get in your shot with RAW files.

Mirrorless Cameras

Mirrorless cameras, as their
names suggest, don’t come with mirrors. In a DSLR camera, that mirror would
have been used to reflect light on an optical viewfinder. Or it could also have
been used to pass light straight through the camera sensor.

In a mirrorless camera, however,
things are a little different as there is no mirror. So, light goes directly
from the lens straight to imaging sensor, no mirror in-between.

Now, this is the reason
mirrorless cameras use electronic viewfinders rather than optical ones. There’s
no mirror which would have reflected light on the optical viewfinder from the
lens, remember?

The major pro of mirrorless
cameras is that they are much lighter, more compact, and more stylish too. DSLR
cameras, on the other hand, can be a bit cumbersome and some might even say
somewhat ugly.

No one is saying that these
cameras would fit into your pocket but they will definitely fit in a purse,
handbag or messenger bag.

The second advantage is the image
quality you get with mirrorless cameras. Now, the truth is that it might be
somewhat difficult getting the same quality of images without a proper optical
viewfinder. However, the electronic viewfinder isn’t so bad and the quality of
images it gives can easily stand up to those from a DSLR camera with an optical
viewfinder.

Plus, electronic viewfinders have
one pro that optical ones do not. They allow you take more candid shots without
the intimidation that DSLR cameras tend to give. And then you also don’t have
to be up to the camera to give your photo a good frame which is great for
taking photos of kids.

Finally, with fewer settings to
adjust and whatnot, mirrorless cameras are less intimidating for the beginner.
They are intuitive and therefore more approachable for the newb.

Sony a7II Vs a7RII – Features Unique To Each
Camera

In this section of the Sony a7II vs a7RII, we want to find out the unique features each of these cameras bring to the table. You’d most likely find your deal breaker here so make sure you follow closely.

Sony a7II Vs Aa7RII – Features Unique To The
Sony a7II

1920 x 1080 Video Resolution

With a 1080 video resolution, the
Sony a7II is a full HD camera. Now, we know there are many people who think
that full HD is completely out of style and should never be brought up in any
conversation. However, full HD still have their uses and except you absolutely
have to use 4k which will most likely happen much later in your career, full HS
cameras are you rock stars.

In the first place, full HD
cameras are mostly aimed at beginners and professionals in the broadcast
industry. In case you didn’t know, HD is still very much the norm in this
industry.

Alright, listen, we know everyone
seems to have caught the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) bug. We all want the
latest, the fastest, the whatever-is-currently-in-est. And the 4k is all that
and more when we discuss cameras. However, you’d have to sit and ask yourself
if you really need a 4k camera.

Now keep in mind 4k shoots
require a large storage space and super fast computer for editing. These are
things you need to consider just before you grab the higher res camera.

Moreover, as long as your
original images are good quality on your full HD camera, you can always upscale
them to 4k. Just remember to turn off the in-camera sharpening and you’re game!
It might not meet the requirements of the big guys like Netflix but for your
own personal projects? Heck yeah!

In the end, keep in mind that the
image quality of your camera isn’t determined by the number of “ks” it comes
with. The truth is that while the leap from SD into HD was mega, the HD to 4k?
Not so much.

So, yeah the a7RII might have won
the Sony a7II vs a7RII battle in this round. Nevertheless, you won’t be missing
too much if you absolutely cannot afford it at this time. With a little
research, there are many ways to make your HD camera work for you.

Now, even though the difference
isn’t gaping, 4k video footage is always sharper than a full HD footage. You
get more options for one as you can switch between a full body shot and a
close-up shot without having to deal with jump-shots. It’s not as easy to
achieve something that clean with HD footage.

Moreover, it’s easy to get high
res still images from the video footage taken with a 4k camera. These pictures
won’t be drop dead but they’ll definitely be good enough for web use and even
Instagram posts.

Plus, 4k is better at capturing
the tinier, easily ignored details like the gradual change to sunset. This is
because shooting in 4k reduces the chances of color banding as the camera
records at a higher bitrate.

Finally, even if the project
you’re working on demands that you work with a 1080p video, the 4k still works.
In the end, your downsampled image displays a higher level of quality. It might
not be “better looking” than its HD counterpart, but it definitely will look
sharper.

Also, of course, there are those
who feel it’s better shooting in 4k for the sake of the future. You know, so
that many years from now, your video still looks pretty darn good. We do have
our reservations seeing as technology isn’t static and however good it gets
now, it’s going to get better. 4k is still going to look like 4:3 SD to our
great grandchildren someday. But hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Anyway, beware though as there
are times you’re better off just buying a 1080p camera. A case where you have
to choose between a cheap 4k camera and a good quality 1080p camera is one of
such times.

Fortunately, the aR7II isn’t one
of such cheap 4k video. It will definitely exceed your expectations.

Sony a7II vs a7RII – Cons Common To Both Cameras

Sony a7II

Sony a7RII

Battery life could be seriously improved on. At
350 shots for a single charge, it’s quite low.

Also applies here and is even worse at just 299
shots

Focus points are not good enough for a pro
camera. In fact, 117 is quite poor.

Same goes for the a7RII even though it measures
higher at 399.

Sony a7II vs a7RII – General Feeling Among
Customers

Sony a7II

Sony a7RII

Raving reviews all around, people! There are loads of happy campers on this side of the review that’s for sure.

The price was a steal for most especially considering how much tech they were getting from the camera.

The size was also another plus for most people. It’s easy to move around and is also, for the most part, compact.

Of course the picture quality from the cameras were great and many customers were willing to share their awesome pictures. However, there were some complaints.

The battery life left many users less than impressed. They couldn’t understand why they could only take about 100 pictures with a full 6 hour charge.

And then the ISO, a couple of complaints there as well. Apparently, it fell short of customers’ general expectations coming from the a7 especially.

The focus time also bothered one or two customers who felt it was too slow compare to other full frame cameras.

Generally, we’d say the a7II got much love from customers. However, they all seemed to agree that there’s still room for improvement with some tapping the a7III as the “one-better.”

Did the customers approve of this one too? Of course! Mostly 5 star reviews from users who found this camera to satisfy and even exceed their expectations. Admittedly, the price tag scared a few customers at first, worried that it might not live up to its price. But with use, it was obvious Sony did a good job with the a7RII.

It seems customers loved the same things about these two cameras. They both take amazing pictures with a wide variety of ways to play around your shoot.

We also discovered that customers seemed to really like the sensor of the camera. In the words of one of them, it’s the best in the world right now. How true is that? We guess you’d have to find out for yourself.

However, one thing we found that irked many customers was the menu. It was mildly annoying for some and an outright nuisance for others.

Altogether, it’s obvious that customers who got this camera thoroughly enjoyed (are enjoying) their camera. One or two might have thought the camera to be somewhat overpriced, but it’s not the general consensus. Again, Sony did a good job and some even suspect that they might soon start giving Canon a run for their money.

Sony a7II vs a7RII – Final Thoughts

Our review of the Sony a7II vs a7RII has come to an end, and you have seen that these are two outstanding pro cameras for the money. They do have their shortcomings as all cameras do but they also perform excellently as well.

Whichever you choose to go for (between the Sony a7II vs a7RII)according to the dictates of your budget, you’re covered. You wouldn’t be missing much getting the less expensive camera but you’ll also thoroughly enjoy your gear if you choose to make the upgrade to the more expensive aR7II.

Keep spare batteries in hand
though, these cameras aren’t popular for their battery life. Their menus too
might seem counter-intuitive at first but you’d get used to it.